Quentin Tarantino has never been shy about sharing behind-the-scenes stories, and his latest revelation is a doozy. The acclaimed director has confirmed that he fired one of the lead actors of his 2009 World War II epic Inglourious Basterds after a disastrous table read. The actor in question? Mélanie Laurent, who played the vengeful cinema owner Shosanna Dreyfus.
In the new book The Making of Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, Tarantino opens up about the pre-production process, including the moment he decided Laurent wasn't cutting it. "Mélanie Laurent's table read was terrible," Tarantino said. "It wasn't good enough to be terrible. The most exciting day of preproduction is for me the table read. That is the closest I get to seeing the movie for the first time. Up until then, it's just been me reading all the scenes to myself or to a friend … so a table read with the whole cast is so exciting and so important to me. Well, Mélanie was terrible, so I fired her."
It's a stark admission from the filmmaker, who is known for his exacting standards. But Tarantino also made it clear that he doesn't hold grudges. "I have fired actors in the past. If it's not right, it is not right. I don't owe them shit. I owe my film the best actors I can find. Period."
Fortunately for fans of the film, Laurent didn't stay fired for long. According to Tarantino, she reached out a few days later to explain her poor performance, and he decided to give her another shot. She auditioned again and won back the role, ultimately delivering a performance that helped make Inglourious Basterds a critical and commercial success.
The film, which also starred Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, Daniel Brühl, and Christoph Waltz, grossed over $320 million worldwide on a reported $70 million budget. It remains one of Tarantino's most beloved works, and Laurent's portrayal of Shosanna is a key reason why.
Tarantino also revealed that another legendary actress, Isabelle Huppert, was let go from the project after failing to show up for the table read. She was replaced by Maggie Cheung, but the role ultimately ended up on the cutting room floor because Tarantino felt it was too exposition-heavy.
This isn't the first time Tarantino has made headlines for his candid comments. He's been busy lately, working on his first play, The Popinjay Cavalier, and a novelization of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood titled The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth. He's also been in the news for the film's upcoming free streaming debut.
For those who want to revisit Laurent's performance, Inglourious Basterds is currently streaming on Prime Video. And if you're in the mood for more Tarantino, you can also check out Django Unchained on Pluto TV.
Tarantino's willingness to share these stories keeps fans engaged, even as they wait for his final film. In the meantime, his candidness about the casting process offers a rare glimpse into the mind of a director who demands nothing less than perfection.
